Press cylinder



Feb. 12, 1935. v M. J. POWER 1,990,839

PRESS CYLINDER I Filed June 22, 1931.

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INVENTOR ATTORNEYS Patented Feb. 12, 1935 UNITED STATES PATENT orrics J PRESS CYLINDER Michael J. Power,- Nekoosa, Wis. Application June 22,1931, Serial No. 545,945 15 Claims. (01'. 100-50) This invention relates to improvements in press cylinders. 7

It is the primary object of the invention to provide a press cylinder made up of component units which may be standardized as to construction and assembled to suit the requirements of a particular press, both as to length and the size of slot provided for the escape of liquid from the press. I

Presses designed for squeezing water from bark are obliged to meet a Wide variety of conditions depending on the nature and condition of the bark with which a particular press is intended to be used. A given length of press or a size of water escape opening may be well adapted for use under some circumstances and may still be unsatisfactory for use in other circumstances. A bark press may be very satisfactory for bark but may not function successfully to' press other material of a lighter or heavier nature, either because the length of the press is wrong or the dimensions of its water escape openings are too large or too small. Under these circumstances the design of a press has heretofore been'entirely a matter of special construction for each particular piece of work. By means of the present invention, however, the water escape openings are provided by spaces between component elements which are assembled to make up the press, and which may be used in a greater or lesser number to vary the length of the press, or may be used at a greater or lesser'spacing to vary the dimensions of the openings through which the water passes.

In the drawing:

Figure 1 is a fragmentary axial section through a press piston and a press cylinder embodying the invention. 7

Figure 2 is a transverse section throughthe press cylinder, taken generally in the plane indicated at 22 in Figure 1.

Figure 3' is a fragmentary detailin perspec-' tive, on an enlarged scale, showing the relation of consecutive units of the cylinder wall to each other.

Figure 4 is a view similar to Figure 2, showing a modified form of cylinder having a cylindrical bore instead of a rectangular bore.

Figure 5 is a further modification, showing the use of integral portions of the cylinder units for spacing the units from each other.

Like parts are identified by the same reference characters throughout the several views. 5

Material introduced through the hopper}; is acted on by piston 7 as the piston is reciprocated through the usual mechanism including connecting rod 8.

The cylinder is assembled within the customary reenforcing frame, which in this instance includes upper and lower castings 9 and 10 and side castings 11' and 12 interlocked therewith, the whole assembly being held together by tie bolts 13 and 14 running vertically .andlongitudinally of the frame assembly. The frame castings described are in the form of open grids to permit the free escape of liquid in all directions, as clearly shown in Figures 1 and 2.

Supported by the grid castings comprising the frame are the component cylinder elements generically designated by reference character 15. In the construction shown in Figures 1, 2, 3, and 5 these elements constitute straight bars, while in the construction shown inFigure 4 the elements are annular. In each case the principle is the same to the extent that the elements are manufactured as standardized units and may be assembled to any desired number to make up a cylinder of any required length. It is important to note'that in each instance the liquid escaping from the cylinder passes between the elements 15, thus'eliminating the necessity for expensive milling or machining operations heretofore required in the manufacture of presses of this character. v

In the construction shown in Figures 1, 2, 8, and 4, "the individual elements are spaced by dowel pins 16 fitted into sockets of predetermined depth. Obviously the length of the dowel pin may be'made to determine accurately the spacing between the bar elements 15 and thus the width of the slot provided for the escapecf liquids' The form of slot preferably corresponds in a general way to that disclosed in my copending application, Serial No. 505,258, filed December 29, 1930 and issued on Oct. 25,. 1932 as Patent No.1,884,212. I

It will be noted that the bars .15 are not rectangular in cross section but have correspondingly beveled side faces 17 and'18 inclined rearwardly with reference to the direction of piston advance, which is indicated by the arrows in the various views where such an indication is pcssi'ole. The angle between each side face 18 of a given bar 15 and the inner face 19 of said bar is relatively acute, while the angle between side face .17 and the inner face' exude'from the cylinder into the escape slot provided between successive bars tends to be forced by the curvature of surface 20 back into the cylinder when subjected to the action of the tween the bars lying in the rectilinear form of the one and the annular form of the other. Where the bars are rectilinear it is preferred to interlock bars at contiguous sides of the cylinder by rabbeting upper and lower bars, as shown at 22 in Figure 2.

The Figure .5 construction differs from that just disclosed in that the adjacent bars are not adjustable except through the use'of shims.

No dowels are necessary, eachbar being provided with shoulders at 24 directly abutting the next bar of the series, as clearly shown in Figure 5. The arrow is placed at the side of the bars across which the piston moves, and it will be, noted that the channel 25 integrally formed in the side of each bar will be completed when the next successive bar is placed in its proper position. The complete channel increases rapidly-in cross section from the narrow slot occasioned by the intersection of the milled channel with the inner face 19 of the bar and affords ready escape for any material which enters the slot.

As above noted, all milling or machining operations conducted on cylinder elements embodying this invention involve only the simple machining of exterior surfaces. There are. no holes or slots in integral pieces of metal which have to be drilled, milled, or machined. Y

v It will be understood that the exact form ofretaining frame is immaterial in the broader aspects of this invention, as is also the exact' tween said bars operative to maintain said spac-- ing, the side face of each bar presented toward the advancing piston being curvilinearly merged with the inner face of the bar at said portions.

2. A cylinder comprising a plurality. of wall elements, means including a dowel pin of predetermined length partially embedded in and spacing portions of said elements to provide liquid escape slots therebetween, and means holding the spaced elements in alignment in the form of a cylinder.

3. A press cylinder comprising a set'of corresponding bars having aligned inner faces and inder between the bars;

said cylinder.

'12. A press cylinder comprising annular cyldeterminative of the spacing between said portions, and means for maintaining said bars in alignment in the operative form of a cylinder.

4. As a new article of manufacture, a bar adapted to be assembled with other parts to comprise a press cylinder, said bar having a smooth inner face, and side faces inclined rear-' wardly relatively to the direction of advance of a piston in said cylinder, oneof said faces having portions ,merged 'curvilinearly with said. inner face.

5. As a new article of manufacture, a press cylinder bar adapted to be assembled with like bars to form a press cylinder, said bar having 'a smooth inner face, a side face having portions inclined with reference to the inner face and merging curvilinearly therewithand sockets in its-side faces adapted to receive spacing means.

6. A press cylinder comprising a frame, upper and lower longitudinal series of bars in said frame individually extending transversely, there! of, a lateral series of like bars positioned between said upper and lower series of bars and other bars positioned between said upperand lower series and'defining a cylinder between said bars.

7. A press cylinder comprising aframe, upper certain of said bars having spaced, cut-away portions providing liquid'escape slots.

8. In a press cylindenthe combination with n a frame of upper, lower and lateral series of bars assembled in said frame to comprise a cylby to provide liquid escape slots from the cyl- 9. A press cylinder comprising a frame,

longitudinal series in said framejof transversely extending bars arranged at the sides 'of'said frame to comprise a cylinder, andmeans spacing certaincontiguous bars of said series to provide liquid escape slots the form of which is .10. A press cylinder comprising. aframe, up

per and lower series of bars in said frame having their ends provided with aligned rabbeted portions, lateral series of bars insaid'frame'having their upper and lower ends engaged in the rabbeted portions of the bars of the first mentioned series, certain of said bars-being providedwith means spacing portions of their adjacent margins to provide liquid escape openings.

.11. A press cylinder comprising a series of axially aligned annullmeansinterposed between 'said' annuli operative to space them, the adjainder elements mounted in a frame, and means spacingside portions of said elements, whereby to provide escape slots therebetween, said ele-' ments being so shapedas to incline said slots rearwardly, relatively to the direction of advance of a piston movable in said cylinder.

13. A press cylinder comprising a series of cylinder bars having mutually abutting portions, and intermediate relieved portions, whereby to provide a predetermined space for the escape of liquids, said relieved portions being shaped to incline said space rearwardly in relation to the direction of advance of a piston movable in said cylinder.

14. A press cylinder comprising a longitudinal series of transversely extending cylinder bars having portions of their adjacent faces in spaced relation to provide slots, and means interposed between said bars operative to maintain said spacing, both of said face portions being inclined rearwardly relatively to the direction of advance of said piston, and means for maintaining said bars in alignment in the op-' erative form of a cylinder.

15. As a new article of manufacture, a press cylinder bar adapted to be assembled with like bars to form a press cylinder, said bar having a smooth inner face, and a side face inclined rearwardly relatively to the direction of advance of a piston in said cylinder. 7

MICHAEL J.' POWER. 

